A school spokeswoman said the school agreed that what happened was not appropriate, but that race was not a factor and any allegations of racial insensitivity are "wholly untrue." While we're inclined to believe that the teacher isn't a monster, it seems clear that some areas are so tied up with racial and cultural issues (hair, makeup, clothes, and music all spring to mind) that there's really no such thing as an innocent comment—much less an innocent classroom expulsion. When you single out the only child of color because of her hair and ask her to leave the room, you've told her—and all her white classmates—that her hair is different, strange, and something to fear. And that's not a great lesson for any of your students.